“Just For The Kids”

On a bitter, cold evening in February, 1996, a friend and I were out in my barn checking on the progress of an old mare who had foundered. As we rounded the corer of the barn, my friend commented on how much better the mare was feeling because she was standing next to the adjoining pen sniffing a baby goat! Although several of my nanny’s had new babies, I had checked “Priscilla” that very morning and I was positive that she was not going to have a baby. Therefore, I had left her in with my two burros, my pony and my saddle horse. These larger animals had separated the mother from the minutes old baby. As we started toward the adjoining pen my pony grabbed the baby goat and threw it straight up. the poor little goat hit the rafters of the barn and fell back to the floor with a thud! I ran in and managed to get the big animals out. My friend grabbed the newborn kid – stuffed it inside her new down filled jacket and told me to “get a hairdryer”. After we dried the baby, we put her back with her mother. They were so happy to be reunited. The baby snuggled into her mother’s soft fur and the mother gently licked her new baby. It was very touching. The baby didn’t seem to be adversely affected by her ordeal. In fact, I do believe that since she had never been born before, she thinks that – first you hit the ground – then you get tossed in the air and hit the rafters – then you hit the ground again – and then you’re here and life is great.